Selective electrical signaling and communicating system



Nov. 18, 1941. I

SELECTIVE ELECTRICAL SIGNALING AND COMMUNICATING SYSTEM Filed May 29, 1939 5 INVENTOR. C'rm AL 5614a??? By W, W

ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 18, 1941 SELECTIVE ELECTRICAL SIGNALING AND COMMUNICATING SYSTEM Charles .Auth, Malba, Long Island, N. Y.; Emma L. Auth executrix of said Charles Auth, de-

ceased Application May '29, 1939, Serial No. 276,400

. 9 Claims.

This invention pertains to selective electrical signaling and communicating systems, such as are employed in apartment houses and the like, for signaling and communicating with occupants from an entrance to the building and also for signaling occupants from the individual apartment entrances.

In systems of this character as heretofore extensively employed, each apartment is equipped with a plurality of sound producing elements, bells, buzzers, chimes, etc., responding to pushbuttons at one or more entrances to the building and to the individual apartments; and each apartment is also equipped with at least one telephone set, transmitter and receiver, connected to a similar set at an entrance to the building for conversing with callers.

In order to eliminate the expense of equipping each apartment with sound producing devices as aforesaid, and otherwise to provide a simpler and more economical system as regards both installation and maintenancal propose, in accordance with this invention, to employ centralized sound producing elements, common to all apartments, one such element responding, for example, to push-buttons located at the visitors ontrance to the building, for actuating a selected apartment telephone receiver in accordance with the sounds produced, another such sound producer responding similarly, if desired, to pushbuttons at the tradesmens entrance to the building, another such sound producer responding to push-buttons at the individual apartment entrances, likewise for actuating the telephone receiver of the apartment selected. avoid confusion as to the origin of any given such signal, each of the sound producers referred to is adapted to provide a distinctively different sound, tone, buzz, chime, etc., from the remainder. With this arrangement, therefore, but one sound producer is required for the entire building for each of the series of push-buttons referred to, whereas with existing systems separate sound producers are required for each apartment and for each push-button.

In order to assure that the sounds produced by these centralized sound producers may be reproduced with adequate volume in theapartments, I may replace the usual watch-case type of receiver in the apartment telephone set, with a loudspeaker unit, preferably suchthat both the loudspeaker and associated transmitter are housed in a single, compact, built-in unit. In this way, the unsightliness and pilfering of the previously used cord-suspended receivers are In order to S5;

avoided. In accordance with the invention,

' therefore, these apartment loudspeaker units serve in dual capacities as sound reproducing de vices responsive to the push-buttons, and as receiver units of the apartment telephone sets.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 isa'schematic electrical circuit diagram of a preferred system in accordance with the invention employing buzzers as the sound producing elements while Fig. 2 is a fragmentary schematic showing of the system of Fig.

l, as modified to employ a repeating chime. as the sound producing element.

Referring to Fig. l, the system comprises a plurality of receiving stationsRi, R2, R3, etc., and

a transmitting station V, each equipped with transmitter and loudspeaker units T1 L1, T2 Le, T3 L3, etc. and T4 L4. The transmitting station V would ordinarily be located at an entrance to an apartment building, while the receiving stations R1, R2, R3, etc., would ordinarily be located in the individual apartments thereof. coils I1, I2, Is,etc., 14, may -be used in conjunction with the loudspeaker units where required; and a switch S1, S2, S3, etc. is provided ateach receiving station for opening the push-button and closing the transmitter circuits as explained hereinafter.

At a convenient location remote from the sending and receiving stations, as for example in the basement of the building, are mounted the centralized sound producing devices, such as the buzzers B1, B2, etc., each productive of a dis:

tincti-vely different sound or tone from the others. A common source of voltage, such as a battery C, is provided for energizing the transmittersTi, T2, etc., and also the buzzers B1, B2, etc. :Buzzer B1 responds to push-buttons V1, V2, V3, etc., located at the sending station V for selectively actuating any of the loudspeakers L1, L2, L3, etc., in accordance with the sounds produced and the particular push-button depressed. Buzzer Barre sponds similarly to push-buttons E1, E2, E3, etc.,

' located at the entrances to the individual apartmerits respectively. The necessary circuits and electrical connections for providing the operations referred to are as shown.

By way of explaining the operation of the system-assume for example that a caller desires to signal and converse with an occupant from the uilding entrance V. The caller will first depress the push-button V1, V2, Vt, etc., corresponding to the apartment selected. Assume that the occupant of apartment S1 is desired. The corresponding push-button V1 is accordingly depressed, Which completes a circuit from the com-- Induction mon battery C through buzzer B1 and the contacts of the push-button V1, over conductor I, through the upper, normally closed contact 2 and arm 3 of switch S1, thence through the primary winding of induction coil I1, returning to battery C over conductor 4. Buzzer B1, on being thus energized, produces electrical oscillations in the circuit traced corresponding to the sound or tone produced by the buzzer, so that this sound is reproduced by the loudspeaker L1, to attract an occupants attention in the apartment selected. The apartment occupant knows from the characteristic sound or tone produced on the loudspeaker by buzzer B1, that the call has originated at the building entrance V. The occupant accordingly depresses the switch arm 3 of switch S1, thereby opening the buzzer circuit at the upper contact 2 of this switch, and closing a pair of circuits through the lower contacts 5, 6, '1, thereof, for establishing a two-way communication circuit between the telephone set T1 L1, at the station called, and that T4 L4, at thebuilding entrance V. One of the circuits thus closed by switch S1 is traced from the negative terminal of battery C, through transmitter T4, over conductor 8 to switch S1, through the lower contact and arm 3 of the switch, returning to the positive terminal of the battery through the primary winding of induction coil I1, and over conductor 4. Transmitter T4 is thus energized and a talking circuit completed from this transmitter T4 to the loudspeaker L1 of the apartment called. The second circuit closed by actuation of switch S1 is traced from the negative terminal of battery C, over conductor 9, the lower contacts 6, I, and arm I0 of switch S1, thence through transmitter, T1, returning over conductor through induction coil I4 to the positive terminal of battery C. A talking circuit is thus established between the transmitter T1 at the station called and the loudspeaker L4 at V. The two circuits above traced thus provide circuits for two-way communication between the telephone set T1 L1 of the apartment called and that T4 L1 at the building entrance V. When the conversation is completed, the apartment occupant releases the arm 3 of switch S1 to open at lower switch contacts 5, 6, 1, the communication circuit thus traced, and to close again at the upper contact 2, the push-button circuits.

Should a caller desire to signal an occupant at the immediate entrance to his apartment, this may be accomplished by depression of the pushbutton E1, E2, E3, etc., corresponding to the apartment selected. Upon depression, for example, of push-button E1, a circuit is closed from the negative terminal of battery C through buzzer B2 over conductor |2, through the contacts of push-button E1, over conductor I and through the upper contact 2 and arm 3 of switch S1, returning to the positive terminal of battery C through the primary Winding of induction coil I1 over conductor 4. Buzzer B2 is thus actuated to produce a corresponding sound or tone in the loudspeaker L1 of the apartment selected, and the occupant knows by this characteristic sound or tone that the caller isat the apartment entrance. This circuit is of course opened upon release of pushbutton E1.

It will be understood, of course, that additional telephone sets and push-button circuits corresponding to T4 L4 and V1, V2. V3, etc., may

'be provided at other entrances to the building,

in the receiving station loudspeakers in response to the push-button selections, the system of Fig. 1 may be modified as shown in Fig. 2. In the fragmentary view of Fig. 2, only the buzzer circuit B1 of Fig. 1 has been replaced by a chime circuit, but it will be understood that by corresponding circuit changes, a similar substitution may be made for buzzer B2. The relationship of the two figures will be apparent from the like-numbered conductors I and I2 to IT, inc.

Referring to Fig. 2, the depression of a pushbutton, such as V1, energizes a relay |8 from battery C over conductor H, the circuit being completed through the induction coil I, at receiving station R1, over conductors and I3 in the manner above described for Fig. 1. Energization of relay I8 closes a circuit through its armature and front contact from battery C over conductors l1 and I9, through the winding of a solenoid 20, thence through a normally closed contact 2| and armature 22 of a hot wire relay 23, returning to battery C over conductor 24. The resulting energization of solenoid 20 throws its armature to the left against the restoring action of a spring 25 until the armature strikes a chime 26. The tone thus produced is picked up by a pick-up device, such as a carbon button transmitter 21, bridged across the winding of relay l8, and is thus reproduced in loudspeaker L1. Meantime, the hot wire relay 23, which is provided with a heater resistance 28, heats up until its thermally deformable armature 22 pulls away from contact 2| to open the circuit through the hot wire relay and also through the winding of solenoid 20 thereby restoring the armature to the position shown. As the hot wire relay thus cools, its armature returns to contact 2|, to again energize the solenoid 20, causing the chime to sound again and be reproduced on loudspeaker L1, and so on as long as push-button V1 is depressed. In this way, the chime signal is repeatedly reproduced on the loudspeaker unit at the receiving station selected, so long as the push-button remains depressed. When, however, the pushbutton, such as V1, is released, it in turn releases relay l8, and thus opens the chime circuits at the front contact of relay l8. In place of the hot wire relay 23, contact 2| and armature 22 may comprise a back contact and armature respectively of an ordinary relay, the winding of which is shunted by a condenser, whereby the relay will alternately pull up and release so long as the push-button is depressed, and in a manner well understood.

I claim:

1. In a selective electrical signaling system: a plurality of sound reproducers, an electrically actuated sound producer remote therefrom, and means including circuits permanently interconnecting said sound reproducers and producer and circuit therein individual to said reproducers for energizing and selectively connecting said sound producer to audibly actuate any said reproducer.

2. In a selective electrical signaling system: a plurality of receiving stations and a sending station each equipped with a transmitter and sound reproducer, an electrically actuated sound producer remote from said stations, means including circuits permanently interconnecting said sound reproducers and producer and circuit closers therein for energizing and selectively connecting said sound producer to audibly actuate the reproducer at any said receiving station, and means including a switch at each receiving station for establishing a two-way communication circuit with said sending station. I

3. In a selective electrical signaling system: a plurality of receiving stations and a sending station each equipped with a transmitter and a sound reproducer, an electrically actuated sound producer remote from said stations, means including circuits permanently interconnecting said sound reproducers and producer and circuit closers therein at said sending station for energizing and selectively connecting said sound producer to audibly actuate the reproducer at I any said receiving station, and means including a switch at each receiving station for establishing a two-way communication circuit with said sending station.

4. In a selective electrical signaling system: a plurality of receiving stations and a sending station each equipped with a transmitter and a sound reproducer, a pair of sound producers remote from said stations and each productive of a distinctively different sound, means including circuit closers at said sending station for energizing and selectively connecting one of said sound producers to the reproducer at any said receiving station, means including circuit closers at said receiving stations respectively for energizing and selectively connecting the other of said sound producers to the reproducer at any said receiving station, and meansincluding a switch at each said receiving station for establishing two-way communication with said sending station.

5. In a selective electrical signaling system:

a plurality of receiving stations and a sending station each equipped with a transmitter and a sound reproducer, a plurality of electrically actuated sound producers remote therefrom and each productive of a distinctively different sound, means including circuits permanently interconnecting said sound reproducers and producer and a plurality of circuit closers for energizing and selectively connecting any of said sound producers to audibly actuate the sound reproducer at any said receiving station, and means including a switch at each receiving station for establishing two-way communication with said sending station.

6. In a selective electrical signaling system: a plurality of receiving stations and a sending station, each equipped with a transmitter and a sound reproducer, a relay actuated sound producing element and associated electrical pick-up device remote from said stations, and means ineluding circuits permanently interconnecting said sound reproducers and pick-up and circuit closers therein individual to said receiving stations for connecting said pick-up device to a selected reproducer and for energizing said relay to audibly actuate the reproducer so selected.

7. In a selective electrical signaling system: a plurality of receiving stations and a sending station, each equipped with a transmitter and a sound reproducer, a relay actuated sound producing element and associated electrical pick-up device remote from said stations, means including circuits permanently interconnecting said sound reproducers and pick-up and circuit closers therein individual to said receiving stations for connecting said pickup device to a selected reproducer and for energizing said relay to audibly actuate the reproducer so selected, and means including a switch at each receiving station operable for disconnecting said pick-up device from the reproducer thereat, and for establishing a two-Way communication circuit with said sending station.

8. In a selective electrical signaling system:

- a plurality of receiving stations and a sending station, each equipped with a transmitter and a sound reproducer, a relay actuated sound producing element and associated electrical pick-up device remote from said stations, means including circuits permanently interconnecting said sound reproducers and pick-up and circuit closers therein individual to said receiving stations for connecting said pick-up device to a selected reproducer and for repeatedly energizing said relay to repeatedly audibly actuate the reproducer so selected, and means including a switch at each receiving station operable for disconnecting said pick-up device from the reproducer thereat, and for establishing a two-way communication circuit with said sending station.

9. In a selective electrical signaling system: a plurality of receiving stations and a sending station, each equipped with a transmitter and a sound reproducer, a relay actuated chime element and associated electrical pick-up device remote from said stations, and means including circuit closers individual to said receiving stations for connecting said pick-up device to a selected reproducer and for energizing said relay actuated chime thereby to audibly actuate the reproducer so selected in accordance with the chime signal.

CHARLES AUTH.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION; Patent No. 2,265,157. November 18, 19LL1.

ICHARIES AU'I'H.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 2, second column, line 61, claim 1, 'after "circuit" insert --c1osers-; and

that the said Letters. Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 15th day or January, A. n. ,19L 2.

Henry Van Arsdale (Seal) Acting Comrriissioner of Patents. 

